Image credit: Werder Bremen

Last week's report started out with the news that Head Coach Mark Briggs had left Birmingham Legion, and has been replaced by Jay Heaps. That was unexpected news, just a few days before players reported to start preseason camp. Since then, the club has steadily released good news.

The good news started with the announcement that an agreement has been reached to send 17 year-old Ramiz Hamouda to Werder Bremen in the Summer (after Ramiz turns 18). It was known that Bremen was interested in him, after he spent time in November of 2024 training with them and being evaluated. Hamouda had a busy 2025, appearing for over 1000 minutes with Legion, and finishing the year competing for the United States in the U17 World Cup. It's a tremendous move for him, and another indication of the kind of development going on with Birmingham.

Two trialists were announced by the club as well. Winger Alhassan Alhassan (Chattanooga Red Wolves 2025), and GK Daniel Gagliardi (Miami FC 2024). Alhassan is likely a prospect as a project; he's 20 years old and has shown flashes of ability, but needs some polishing. Gagliardi is a 29 year-old (happy birthday today!) who spent 2025 without a club. It's hard to say where Gagliardi might fit into the mix due to the uncertainty surrounding the position. Matt van Oekel is certainly still with the club, but there's been no information regarding whether he'll still have an on-field role, or just be coaching. Fernando Delgado left the club and has landed with Monterey Bay, and Trevor McMullen has returned. McMullen has shown promise, but has appeared in just one game as a professional.

The other piece of good news was that Ronaldo Damus has been signed by Legion after being with the club on loan in 2025. Damus is a top-notch striker, and led Legion last year with 11 goals. His presence was expected, but he's a critical piece for a Legion attack that is shaping up to have a ton of potential.

Dothan United

Image credit: Dothan United

Dothan has announced Ricky Davey as their new head coach for the upcoming USL2 season. Davey is currently the Associate Head Coach at Mercer, and was previously a coach in the Atlanta United Academy system. He's expected to have a similar style to outgoing coach Carl Reynolds, and will be looking to continue building on the success they've seen so far in the Wiregrass.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Rumors swirled, and then John Morrissey was first to report that Mark Briggs was leaving Legion to take an assistant's job with FC Dallas of MLS. The next day, Birmingham confirmed the departure and named club president Jay Heaps as the head coach (no interim tag applied). Legion's first six seasons saw the stability of one coach, and now we see two changes in nine months. Moving Heaps into the role will allow for some measure of continuity, as he's been the club president since the beginning - the players and staff are his. Initial thoughts from most fans had been that assistant Eric Avila should be given a chance, but I think that moving Heaps into the role avoids the feeling that Avila is being thrown into the fire. It's noteworthy that the Heaps announcement looked more like what you'd see after a coaching search - the club is selling the move to the fans as a well-considered decision.

The general reaction has been mixed, to say the least. Some fans have felt like Briggs leaving was almost a knockout blow for the club, but that's not very realistic. It's a gut punch, for sure. Players report to camp this week and will be showing up to play for a different head coach than they expected to play for. Arguably, the biggest key to running a team at this level is being able to deal with the gut punches that are inevitably going to come your way. The key player(s) that get injured, coaches moving on, changes in the front office, etc.

Most of these things happen to some degree every year. Legion fans will feel like they've seen more than their fair share. But I think it's time to also take a step back and give credit where it's due. Jay Heaps and the owners have done a good job setting the club up to survive the gut punches. Legion has developed players and sent them up to MLS and Europe (see: Junior Flemmings, Jonny Dean, Matthew Corcoran), and saw an assistant coach be hired into a head coaching job with great success (Khano Smith). Meanwhile, Ramiz Hamouda and Eric Avila hold the promise for the next people being developed to be ready to move up. In other words, Birmingham has continued to develop players and staff through the years, and that prepares them for most of the gut punches that will be coming their way. Anyone that's been around for awhile also probably knows that Avila is likely to be in charge for a game or two this season. Jay is known for being animated and fiery on the sidelines, and he'll draw some cards.

The foundation is there, and it's solid. The team needs to pull it back together for 2026 and get back into the playoffs. There's no reason to think that won't happen.

Dothan United

Image credit: Dothan United

Dothan United has also announced that Coach Carl Reynolds is stepping away after a hugely successful run with the Dragons for their first two seasons. He's been hired as the new associate head coach at Liberty University, moving from Gardner-Webb with head coach Scott Wells. Reynolds has been a winner everywhere that he's been, and is leaving behind some big shoes to fill.

Montgomery United

Image credit: Montgomery United

Montgomery has been busy over the past few weeks. They have announced that Gui Soares will be the new head coach for Summer of 2026. Soares had success in USL2 at Nona FC, and was the technical director at One Knoxville. He's the kind of hiring that speaks to the ambitions of the club.

Keeping that train of thought, Montgomery has also announced that they'll be placing the second team in USLA for the summer season. Previously, they've operated a second team informally, playing a slate of friendlies against various MLS Next, TLfC, and UPSL teams. This move strengthens the bridge between the youth program and the USL2 team.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season!

Birmingham Legion gave fans a gift today, announcing four more returnees who had been in contract negotiations.

Dawson McCartney (pictured above) returns for a third season with Legion. He's a tremendously versatile player (LB/LW/MF) that spent some of 2025 battling through injuries.

Samuel Shashoua (FW/MF) was on loan with Legion last year from Minnesota United, coming in about halfway through the season.

Amir Daley (RB) was on loan to Legion for the final third of the season in 2025, and made a huge impact in a short time. He's a solid defender that also gets very involved in the attack.

Sebastian Saucedo (FW) signed with Legion mid-season after being out of the game. He's an explosive player with MLS and Liga MX experience.

Additionally, Legion and GK Fernando Delgado mutually agreed to part ways. This move is a little surprising, as he's a young prospect at keeper that was hoped to be destined for a transfer fee. With that news, expect Legion to be looking for a GK1.

The roster is starting to take shape, and the big returnee still to be landed is Ronaldo Damus. Expect some kind of news related to him after January 1st.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Birmingham's preliminary roster moves were announced on November 26, and they centered around players that would not be returning. That was followed by the announcement on December 3 that added veteran fan-favorites Jake Rufe and Enzo Martinez to the list of players that won't be coming back for 2026. That left Legion fans with a sizeable hole in their knowledge base - just who is going to be back as a foundation to build on? Today was the beginning of that answer, while it's not likely to be the whole picture. The players that will be back:

Trevor McMullen - GK

Phanuel Kavita - CB

AJ Patterson - CB

Ramiz Hamouda - CB

Sam McIllhatton - MF

Peter-Lee Vassell - MF

Tyler Pasher - FW

Sebastian Tregarthen - FW

There are notable absences for what we know so far:

Matt van Oekel - GK and GK coach. This is presumably a formality, as he's currently participating in Legion functions.

Fernando Delgado - GK. He could easily be a target for a transfer/fee.

Dawson McCartney - LB/MF. Losing him would be a tough one.

Sebastian Saucedo - FW.

Temi Ereku - CB. Temi's continued absence in any news is still a bit puzzling.

The players in limbo are presumably in some level of negotiation, as they're not definitively gone or staying. Additionally, three of last year's loanees are expected to be targets to sign permanently, but haven't been announced yet. Two of those - Samuel Shashoua and Amir Daley - were released from their parent MLS clubs and announcements for their signings would be expected to highlight each of them individually. The third loanee target is Ronaldo Damus, whose contract is with Swedish club GIF Sundvall. Damus’ loan is known to have built-in provisions for making the move permanent, but the Swedish league operates under European transfer windows. So, a Damus signing shouldn't be expected until early to mid January (if it does indeed happen).

UMA was the last team standing among Lower Alabama clubs for 2025, but they were knocked out of the UPSL playoffs, losing 2-3 to Potros U23. The game was a hard-fought affair that ended in overtime. UMA controlled most aspects of the match, but Potros made the most of their opportunities, scoring three goals from just four shots on target (UMA had ten shots on target). Potros will face Atletico Buford II in the next round.

Birmingham Legion FC

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

The big news from Birmingham last week was the departure of Enzo Martinez and Jake Rufe. Both players had over 100 appearances for the club, and Enzo is among the all-time scorers for USL Championship, and fourth all-time in appearances with 293. Both players are fan favorites and will be greatly missed (and difficult to replace).

Some USL Championship teams have been very active with their signings (looking at you, Rowdies), but Legion haven't announced any new players yet, and there are several other players still in limbo from this year's squad. I'll update moves each week throughout the off-season.

In last week's report, UMA's playoff picture was unclear, and my best guess at what was coming was off the mark. I'm still not entirely clear on how playoff match-ups were determined, but the first two rounds for UMA do at least have visibility now. First up, UMA will be hosting Potros U23 for a first round playoff match on Sunday, December 7 at 5:30 CT. The winner of that match will face the winner of the Atletico Buford II vs LSA Norcross 2 match, which will be played on Saturday, December 6.

UMA has had a very strong Fall season, punctuated by a high-scoring offense, scoring 47 goals in just ten games. Across the two Georgia conferences, the next hjghest total was 35 goals scored. For their part, Potros scored just 26 goals during the Fall, while also allowing 25. But, they had a slow start to the season, and then closed out the Fall with a run of five wins in a row. I would favor UMA here, but this will probably be a closer game than might be indicated at first glance.

Birmingham Legion

Image credit: USL League One

Roster moves came out last week (a few minutes after my last report was posted), and most of the information centered around who would be leaving, with very few details for who would be staying. In all, 12 players are definitely not returning, and that number is almost certain to climb higher. There were a handful of surprises.

Lucca Dourado was a first-year pro in 2025, and spent the bulk of the season on loan to Forward Madison. He had 8 goals and 2 assists at Madison in 22 appearances. Despite that successful loan, his option was not exercised.

Meanwhile, fellow loanee Temi Ereku (also to Madison) played sparingly, but wasn't listed among departures from the club.

Three players - Enzo Martinez, Phanuel Kavita, and Tyler Pasher - were understood to have contracts through 2026. Today it was announced that Enzo would not be returning, presumably after a buyout.

The other notable thing is that only two of the five players loaned to Birmingham were noted as returning to their parent clubs. Ronaldo Damus, Amir Daley, and Samuel Shashoua are understood to be targets to sign on permanent contracts. Damus’ loan includes provisions for buying, so we'll see how that plays out. Shashoua was not retained by Minnesota United, so he's a free agent. Signing him quickly could give the fans a boost early in the process. I haven't found an update yet for Daley's status.

I'll have updates during the off-season as they become available.

Image credit: UMA FC

UMA II finished up the regular season with a 9-2 throttling of Columbus Knight Eagles, the second win this Fall against their same-stadium rivals. Richard Hollstrom had 5 goals on the day, followed by a hat trick from Aidan Collins. The win lands UMA in third place in the Georgia South conference of Division 1, and they're going to be a strong team in the Division 1 playoffs.

UMA's opponent and game time haven't been announced yet, but I'm expecting them to UFA Lawrenceville, the second place team from Georgia North. UMA scored a whopping 47 goals during the Fall season, the most of any club in either of the Georgia conferences, while allowing 19 goals. After a slow start, the hit the gas pedal, and 33 of their goals came from the last six games.

UFA Lawrenceville had an identical regular season record to UMA at 6-2-2, and both teams were also 3-1-1 at home and away. The most glaring difference is that UFA had a lower goal output at 35 GF, which puts them tied for second for offensive production. It would be easy to see this match-up as a high-scoring track meet, but UMA's games against the top two Georgia South teams were very tight, and low-scoring (Angelus 2-2, LSA Norcross 0-1). Regardless of the total output, this should be a very close, competitive match.

Birmingham Legion FC

Birmingham's announcement for roster moves is expected soon, possibly as early as today. Rumblings and rumors are calling for it to be a dramatic overhaul - an obvious prediction for the team that grabbed the wooden spoon. Expect some surprises, and possibly some shockers.

Image credit: US Soccer

The United States U17 squad was knocked out of the World Cup, losing to Morocco in PK's. The disappointing result came after the United States took an early lead in the 21st minute on a goal by Jude Terry (assist from Cavan Sullivan). The US side couldn't take advantage of other opportunities throughout the game, leaving the door open for Morocco. In heart-breaking fashion, Morocco found an equalizer in the 89th minute, sending the game to be decided by PK's (no overtime periods). The US was sent home with a save made by the Moroccan keeper on the fifth round shot by Maxi Carrizo. Cavan Sullivan was the clear player of the tournament, with four goal involvements out of the five total goals scored by the US team.

UPSL

The regular season ended last week for the Premier Division, and the two Lower Alabama teams didn't make the playoffs. FC Columbus Elite finished with a bang.

Last week's results

Potros 6-1 FC Birmingham

FC Columbus Elite 9-0 Kalonji Pro-Profile. Blake White had a hat trick, along with braces for Thierry Jules and Emmanuel Ngoy.

Angelus 2-2 UMA II

Columbus Knight Eagles 2-2 Middle Georgia United

This week's match

Image credit: Columbus Knight Eagles

Division 1 closes out with UMA II facing Columbus Knight Eagles on Sunday, November 23rd at 3:00 CT. UMA will be the home side, and they should be set for a playoff birth, at third in the Georgia South table, but with a lot to be decided for final positioning. They're one point behind Angelus, and tied on points with Augusta. Angelus finishes up against last place Middle Georgia, while Augusta will be facing first place LSA Norcross, so UMA needs to collect three points to likely maintain third place.

On the other side of the pitch, CKE appears to be eliminated from playoff contention. The Eagles lost the first match-up against UMA 4-6, and I expect that UMA will take care of business here. The biggest risk will be keeping emotions in check, and avoid getting anyone caught up in a red card against a chippy rival.

Image credit: US Soccer

The US U17 squad swept all three of their group stage matches, and have advanced to the next round in the World Cup in Qatar. It was the second time in history that a US team has won all three group stage matches (first time since 1991), and the first time to win their group in 20 years. The US ranks third among all group winners, and moves on to face Morocco in the round of 32, with time and date (the 14th or the 15th) not yet finalized. Incidentally, Morocco knocked the United States out of the U20 World Cup a month ago.

UPSL

Last week's results

North Georgia 2-1 FC Birmingham

FC Birmingham 3-2 North Georgia

Atletico Buford 6-1 FC Columbus Elite

Middle Georgia United 1-6 UMA II

UMA II 9-0 Middle Georgia United. Evan DeYoe had five goals

Columbus Knight Eagles 1-3 Angelus

This week's games

Premier teams wrap up this weekend, and Division 1 teams have one more week after this one.

Potros vs FC Birmingham; Sunday, November 16 at 5:00 ET. Potros has won all seven of their games for the Fall season, they're sporting a +19 GD, and they won the first meeting 7-1. I expect this game to be closer, but any points for FCB would be a huge upset.

FC Columbus Elite vs Kalonji Pro-Profile; Saturday, November 15 at 6:00 ET. These two teams are at opposite ends of the table, but played to a 2-2 draw in their first meeting. Colgaelite has performed better at home than they have on the road, and this could be another close game.

Angelus vs UMA II; Saturday, November 15 at 7:00 ET. This is a rematch of the first game this season, which ended in a 3-3 draw. This is Angelus’ first season, and they've lost just once. This match-up between the 2nd and 3rd place teams is one that you should tune in for if you have the chance.

Columbus Knight Eagles vs Middle Georgia United; Sunday, November 16 at 5:00 CT. The first meeting this Fall went to the Eagles 6-0. Middle Georgia has scored just four goals this season, with a -33 GD. CKE should get three points here.

Image credit: US Soccer

The United States kicked off this morning in the U17 World Cup in Qatar, and Birmingham Legion's Ramiz Hamouda is part of the squad. Ramiz has featured prominently for Legion, and spent the off-season last year training with Werder Bremen, and is on their radar for a potential transfer after he turns 18 in May of 2026. His first professional appearance was with Legion when he was just 15, and I'll be following the team through the tournament.

Today's result

United Sates 1-0 Burkina Faso

The US gets a hard-fought win to start group play. Highly-regarded 16 year-old Cavan Sullivan (there's already a deal set to send him to Manchester City from Philadelphia Union when he turns 18) came on as a second half sub and scored the winning goal. Hamouda got the start, and made way late in the second half in a switch to bring in more attackers.

Other group stage matches

United States vs Tajikistan; Saturday, November 8 at 9:45AM ET

Czech Republic vs United States; Tuesday, November 11 at 9:45AM ET

UPSL

Last week's results

FC Birmingham 1-2 Scenic City SC

FC Columbus Elite 4-2 Georgia Impact

Atlanta City 4-4 Columbus Knight Eagles

This week's matches

This week features some crazy quick one and two day turnarounds on the schedule.

North Georgia vs FC Birmingham; Friday, November 7 at 8:00 ET. This match-up features the two bottom teams in the table, with North Georgia having won one game this season, with five losses. FCB has been more competitive overall, with three draws, and four losses (three of those losses were competitive games). They turn around and do it all over again in Birmingham on Sunday, November 9 at 4:30 CT. Birmingham has a very realistic chance here to pick up six points.

Atletico Buford vs FC Columbus Elite; Sunday, November 9 at 1:00 ET. Buford comes into this game after being knocked out of Open Cup qualifying last weekend against Potros. Colgaelite also pulled off a 2-1 upset of Buford on Oct 18, and I expect for Buford to look for some revenge here at home.

Middle Georgia vs UMA2; Saturday, November 8 at 6:00 ET. Middle Georgia is at the bottom of the table, winless for the Fall season. The best indicator here is that they lost their opening match 0-6 to the Knight Eagles, who are probably a good comparison to UMA. Expect this to be three points for UMA, and then they play each other again at UMA less than 24 hours later on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 CT.

Columbus Knight Eagles vs Angelus; Sunday, November 9 at 5:00 CT. The second game of a double-header (they share a home field with UMA), this is a rematch from the game that Angelus won 5-0 back on October 11. That match saw the Eagles with several players booked, including one that was sent off. The Eagles have seen better form since then, with two wins and a draw. Look for this to be a close match.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Trevor Spangenberg has been with Birmingham Legion since their first season, and started in goal for their first-ever game. He was on the bench early on during the 2025 season, but wasn't available after the April 19 road game against Hartford. The Legion organization is historically tight-lipped about player absences, so fans have been left largely in the dark about Trevor's whereabouts. I have some connections with him behind the scenes, and have asked (and received approval) to share that Trevor has officially retired. Dealing with some recurring back issues, Trevor made the hard decision to hang up his boots in June, and he also chose not to make an announcement while the team was going through this season's trials, as he didn't want to be a distraction. The other side of that is that he hasn't gotten the recognition and send-off that he deserves. Which is why we're here now.

Professional history

Trevor began 2025 as one of the last two players remaining from the original Legion team (Matt van Oekel is the other). His tenure in Birmingham caps off a professional career that began when he was drafted by Chivas USA of MLS for the 2014 season. Chivas folded after that season, leading to Trevor being signed by New England Revolution, who was coached at that time by Jay Heaps (current Legion GM), with Tom Soehn on staff as an assistant coach. The Revs sent Spangenberg to Richmond on loan for one season, where he made two appearances.

For the 2016 season Trevor joined Puerto Rico FC, an expansion team in NASL that was owned by Carmelo Anthony. After ten games at Puerto Rico, he became the regular starter, with Austin Pack on the team as the second keeper, and Phanuel Kavita joined the club in the second season. The NASL had been playing under a provisional division 2 status and US Soccer didn't renew that status for 2018, effectively causing the league to be folded. Trevor returned to Richmond for 2018, where he started 15 games, and then found his way to Birmingham for their inaugural season.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Trevor made 42 appearances for Birmingham, including the inaugural game against Bethlehem Steel. He spent most of his time with Legion as the number 2 keeper behind Van Oekel, and there were occasions where he was the starter for a few stretches, as Van Oekel dealt with some injuries. There are two occasions that have always stood out to me personally.

The first was a game on the road against Orange County FC in April of 2023. OC scored the first goal of the match, and Legion responded soon after with a goal from Juan Agudelo. Birmingham took the lead in the second half from an Enzo Martinez goal. Trevor made a couple of big saves that night, but the biggest was a save at the death that came in hot and low. Trevor got down in the blink of an eye, and preserved the win for Birmingham, and was named the Man of the Match.

And then there was the epic home playoff game against Pittsburgh Riverhounds. I'm sad to say that I wasn't there in person, having planned a trip out of town months ahead of time. The game was a crazy back and forth affair that ended regular time at 1-1, and then both teams scored again in overtime to end tied back up at 2-2, sending the game to PK's. Just before overtime ended, Trevor was brought on to be between the sticks for the shootout. We watched that shootout on my phone in a bar in Orlando, with complete strangers gathered around to watch it with us. Trevor came up with two big saves on Pittsburgh's fourth and fifth kicks, keeping Birmingham's hopes alive. The shootout finally ended after nine rounds, and the Riverhounds moved on to the next round. It was incredibly intense.

As I said at the beginning, I have some connections with Trevor and he was also gracious enough to answer a few questions for me.

SESR: What's your favorite memory?

TS: Impossible to answer and I couldn’t pick just one. My whole time here in Birmingham feels like one big memory- from playing for the club, to getting to know the city, to coaching the youth players and building connections with the fans. On the field, there were so many special nights at the old BBVA with packed crowds,( 2 dollar beer and dollar hot dogs + fireworks on Wednesday nights) , our Open Cup run a few years back was incredible. Hosting two MLS teams and seeing the fanbase show up the way they did was unforgettable. The photos and atmosphere from those nights are things I’ll always hold on to. There's a soccer culture that runs deep here in Birmingham and those two games really put that on display.    

A good way to put it is that every time I got to pull on the jersey for this club is a memory I'll always cherish.  

SESR: What ahead for you as your next chapter?

TS: Couple ideas but right now just keeping the cards close.  Short answer, You can find me on the golf course trying to shave a few strokes and shoot more bogeys than doubles.

SESR: What will you miss most?

TS: Honestly, everything. Being a pro has been my dream since I was a kid, and I was able to live out that dream for 13 years. It was a ride that took me from college at Missouri State to Los Angeles (Chivas USA) my rookie year, then to Boston and New England Revolution, onto Puerto Rico for two years with Puerto Rico FC in the NASL, then to Richmond Virginia, and ultimately here with Birmingham in the great state of Alabama.  Sure, the ride ended sooner than I planned and I’ll miss all of it-  training every day, the buzz of game day, away trips with the guys, and especially the adrenaline rush coming off a hard-fought win. Nothing beats walking into the locker room after grinding out 3 Points.  I truly loved being a goalkeeper every single day.  

SESR: Do you have a message for the fans?

TS: Thank You so much and Hammer Down.  The support from everyone, the relationships I built in the city, and the youth players I was able to coach, all of it means so much. Getting to know so many people personally made it more than just playing in front of a crowd here. Every person who showed up, win or lose, sent messages before and after games, supported no matter what, really made this place feel like home, and I’ll always be grateful for that.   

Lastly, I would like to say thanks to Trevor for everything he's done to make Birmingham Legion more meaningful to me as a fan. He's always been incredibly gracious, and I know my family will miss seeing him down on the field after games. Good luck and best wishes for what comes next.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Birmingham Legion were on the road Saturday to face second-place Charleston Battery. With Legion already eliminated from the playoffs, eyes would be on the lineup to see which players would have a chance to make a final impression headed towards 2026. The most notable inclusion was Trevor McMullen, a keeper signed by Birmingham mid-season, who hadn't yet made an appearance. He got the start, and performed very well in a tough environment.

I was fortunate enough to attend the game in person, and the intensity was high from the opening whistle. Birmingham pressed immediately, and were able to force a mistake early, allowing Preston Tabort-Etaka to capitalize and score in the 6th minute. It was a rare start for Preston, and he made the most of it. Legion was forced to substitute Enzo Martinez into the game in the 34th minute, after Samuel Shashoua wasn't able to continue. Charleston got an equalizer shortly after that, from a set piece that found a runner at the back post. McMullen was in a good position, but couldn't make the stop. The score was 1-1 at halftime.

Both teams made some substitutions at the half to try to get something going. Charleston had the better run of play, and then in the 54th minute Cal Jennings was fouled by Phanuel Kavita in the box, from behind. Jennings was somewhat sandwiched between Kavita and McMullen, and Kavita was (controversially) shown a red card for the foul. Jennings stepped up to the spot and buried the PK to give Charleston the lead. Jennings’ goal temporarily tied him for the lead in the Golden Boot race, and the Battery didn't park the bus and run out the time with Legion down to ten men. The remainder of the match was hard-fought, but the final score stayed at 2-1. It was a gritty performance by Birmingham and they'll head into the off-season looking for better form for 2026.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City

Huntsville's season has come to and end after losing in the playoffs 0-1 on the road against Philadelphia Union 2. Philly's defense stifled HCFC, who didn't get a shot on goal, despite racking up 69% possession. Union managed eight shots in the first half (two on target), but neither side could break through, and went into halftime at 0-0. Philly finally got the advantage in the 67th minute when Stas Korzeniowski was taken down in the box by the Huntsville keeper. Korzeniowski then took the penalty kick, giving the Union the 1-0 lead. Huntsville couldn't create an opportunity to equalize, and that score held up. The loss ends Huntsville's best season, and leaves a strong foundation to build on for next year.

UPSL

Last week's results

LSA Norcross 3-2 FC Birmingham

Filial Pachuca 2-1 FC Columbus Elite

UMA II 7-1 Augusta Arsenal

FC Atlanta 1-3 Columbus Knight Eagles

This week's games

FC Birmingham vs Scenic City SC; Sunday, November 2 at 4:30 CT. These two teams met in the first game of the Fall season and played to a 2-2 draw. Scenic City is undefeated over their last three games, and are middle of the table with games in hand. FCB hasn't won a game yet, but has been very competitive, with three draws. Expect another tight match here.

FC Columbus Elite vs Georgia Impact; Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 ET. Impact got a 4-0 win over Colgaelite on October 12, which was their best performance for the Fall (by far). Elite has been inconsistent, but has a chance to take three points here.

UMA 2 is off this week.

Atlanta City FC vs Columbus Knight Eagles; Sunday, November 2 at 4:00 ET. The Eagles have won two in a row, and will be looking to extend that streak and continue to climb higher in the table. Atlanta City is headed the other direction, having lost three in a row, all against the top teams in the table. This should be a close game that could go either way.

Cal Jennings and MD Myers. Image credit: Michael Wiser/ Charleston Battery

Birmingham Legion is out of the playoffs, and Sunday's game against Miami FC featured some experimentation with the lineup. Edwin Laszo was given the start at centerback, in an attempt to see if that might be a better fit for him than midfield. The results were disastrous, as he made several errors, and contributed to at least two of Miami's three first half goals (in addition to almost scoring an own goal). Despite Miami's starting keeper getting an early red card, Birmingham couldn't climb the hill that they created, and Miami won 3-2. The loss by Legion sees them at the bottom of the table in the East, just one point above Las Vegas in the race for the wooden spoon.

Things don't get any easier, as Legion will be on the road this week to face second place Charleston. Charleston's spot in the playoffs is secure, so it will be interesting to see how they approach their Wednesday night game on the road against Sacramento, and then the game against Birmingham. Most coaches would be careful and rest starters to protect them for the playoffs. But Pirrman isn't most coaches, and two Battery players are in the running for the Golden Boot - Cal Jennings has 16 goals, and MD Myers has 15; they're both chasing Peter Wilson of Oakland, who is on 17 with just one game remaining for him to add to his total. Birmingham earned a 0-0 draw against Charleston in their previous meeting this season, and they tend to play play better against top opponents. All things considered, Legion has a solid chance for an upset, or to steal a point. This is the featured CBS match for the weekend, so hopefully both teams will put their best effort forward, and not turn this into a glorified preseason game.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City

Huntsville got an impressive 2-0 road win over Chattanooga FC in the first round of the NextPro playoffs. Christian Koffi returned to the lineup after a seven game absence, and got an assist and a goal. Both teams played their game, with Huntsville dominating possession, and CFC looking to strike on counterattacks. After losing all three regular season match-ups, Huntsville got the monkey off their back, and won their fourth game in a row.

(Updated)

HCFC will be on the road to face Philadelphia Union 2 in the second round of the NextPro playoffs. The two teams met just once during the regular season, in a game that ended in a 2-2 draw; Huntsville took the extra point in the shootout. During the regular season, Philly was one of the top-scoring teams (64 GF), while also having one of the top defenses (34 GA). Huntsville performed similarly on defense (30 GA), but was behind that pace on offense (54 GF). In a league that's really not known for defense, expect this game to be a tight, low-scoring match. They'll face off on Saturday, October 25 at 6:00 ET.

Last week's results

Atlanta United Academy 5-3 FC Birmingham

FC Columbus Elite 2-1 Atletico Buford

Atlanta City 1-3 UMA FC 2

Columbus Knight Eagles 3-2 LSA Norcross 2

This week's games

LSA Norcross vs FC Birmingham; Sunday, October 26 at 7:30 ET. Norcross won their first three games, but have lost two in a row. FCB has been very competitive this season, and this should be a close game.

Filial Pachuca vs FC Columbus Elite; Sunday, October 26 at 6:00 ET. Pachuca has been very uneven this Fall, but beat Elite 5-0 on Oct 4th. Colgaelite will be looking to build off of last week's success, and are capable of pulling off an upset.

UMA FC 2 vs Augusta Arsenal; Sunday, October 26 at 3:00 CT. Augusta started the season on fire, winning their first three games by a combined 16-0. The two most recent games were a hard-fought draw, and a loss. UMA has shown high quality at times, including a draw against Angelus. This should be an entertaining match, with plenty of goals scored.

FC Atlanta vs Columbus Knight Eagles; Sarurday, October 25 at 7:30 ET. FCA is a dangerous team, with draws against both Angelus and Augusta, and a solid win over UMA. They also appear to play to their opponent's level, with four draws from six games. CKE has shown some flashes, but has also taken three hard losses. This could be another setback for the Eagles.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Legion was off last week, and they'll have their final home game of 2025 against Miami FC on Sunday, October 19 at 4:00 CT. This is a game that might decide who wears the crown for the worst team of 2025. Miami is the reigning wooden spoon holder from 2024 and they have the lowest point total in the league at 24. A win by Miami would bring them even on points with Birmingham, and then both teams finish their seasons against top teams. Las Vegas is also in the mix to finish in last place, but their last two games are against lower teams. All of that points to a game that should be expected to be high intensity, and probably chippy.

On a different (more positive) note, both teams are showing better form in recent games. Two weeks ago, Miami blitzed Pittsburgh with three second half goals in a 3-1 win, and then pushed Lousville to the limit, losing 0-1 on a late goal by Brian Ownby. Meanwhile, Birmingham is undefeated in their previous three games with two draws and a win, all against top teams. The biggest danger for Legion is that they have a tendency to play up for better teams, and then do poorly against weaker teams. They did win the previous meeting against Miami this season, so Legion has the chance to come out ahead for the season series. The players that have been out for International duty should be back and available, while the rest of the team had extra time to prepare for Miami. Birmingham should be expected to get the win here, and then heads to Charleston next week for the final game of the season.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City FC

Huntsville was off last week making preparations for their first round playoff game against Chattanooga FC. HCFC rolls into this game riding a three game winning streak, and I think it's fair to say that CFC has risen from rival to nemesis. Huntsville finished the regular season with just eight losses, and three of those were at the hands of Chattanooga (every match-up in 2025). Finley Stadium will be packed, and Huntsville is going to need to dig deep in a hostile environment. This feels like a game where the team that scores first will get the win. That should favor Huntsville, who has scored 56 goals in 28 games, while CFC has scored 42. If Huntsville can shake off the curse and get a win, I like their chances to make a deep run in the playoffs. The game is Sunday, October 19 at 7:00 ET.

UPSL

Last week's results

Georgia Impact 4-0 FC Columbus Elite

Angelus 5-0 Columbus Knight Eagles

This week's games

FC Birmingham vs Atlanta United Academy; Sunday, October 19 at 4:30 CT. Atlanta United is currently at the top of table, after mixed results this season. They lost their first two games, but have won the last three in a row. FCB had an extra week to get ready for this one, but they won't be favored in this one.

FC Columbus Elite vs Atletico Buford; Saturday, October 18 at 6:00 ET. On paper, this is a big mismatch. Buford is at the top of table, with a +11 GD, while Colgaelite is at the bottom with a -15 GD. Probably another tough night for Columbus.

Atlanta City vs UMA FC2; Sunday, October 19 at 4:00 ET. Atlanta is higher in the table here, but this might be a good match-up for UMA, who looks like they have the better offense, and Atlanta's defense hasn't been great.

Columbus Knight Eagles vs LSA Norcross 2; Sunday, October 19 at 5:00 CT. Norcross is in second place, chasing a red-hot Augusta team. The Eagles have been floundering, and this probably isn't when they're going to turn things around.

Image credit: Loudon Times Mirror

Birmingham had two positive results last week, a 1-1 draw against North Carolina, and a 1-0 win over Loudon United. The Loudon win was just the fifth for Legion this season, and the first since July. Those are quality results against two of the top teams from the East, and they follow a 0-0 draw against San Antonio the week before. Unfortunately, it's too little, too late. Rhode Island's 3-0 win over Las Vegas on Sunday officially eliminated Birmingham (and Miami) from the playoffs. Legion is off this week, and has two games remaining. Their next match will be at home against Miami FC, and may determine who earns the wooden spoon for 2025.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City

Huntsville got a big 3-0 win last weekend against Carolina Core for a strong finish to the regular season. The result put Huntsville in fifth place, while other results also saw Carolina hang on to eighth place, meaning both teams qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Huntsville has been streaky all season, and will be riding that streak into the playoffs. Their opponent will be decided in a schoolyard pick em on Thursday, with the game to be played on the road October 17-19. Huntsville's regular season record against three of the four hosting teams has been pretty good, but Chattanooga has their number, winning all three match-ups this year. And nobody wants to play on the road at Finley Stadium.

UPSL

Last week's results

FC Columbus Elite 0-5 Filial Pachuca

Columbus Knight Eagles 4-6 UMA FC II

This week's games

Georgia Impact vs FC Columbus Elite; Sunday, October 12 at 5:00 ET. Both teams have shown flashes and earned draws against teams that are top of the table. Impact hasn't lost at home, and they should win a close one here.

Angelus vs Columbus Knight Eagles; Sarurday, October 11 at 7:00 ET. Angelus is in the middle of the table, and started the season with a 3-3 draw against UMA. This should be another close game for the Eagles.

Other points of interest

The U20 USYNT has advanced to the knockout stage in World Cup competition after winning their group. Former Legion player (currently with Nashville) Matthew Corcoran is on the roster and has had opportunities to showcase his skills in set pieces, getting an assist in the game against South Africa. Next up is a game against Italy on Thursday, October 9 at 3:30 ET.

Three current Legion players have been called up for international duty: Phanuel Kavita (Rwanda), AJ Patterson (Grenada), and Ramiz Hamouda (USYNT U17). Hamouda will be in camp for preparations for the U17 World Cup in November. Rwanda is in World Cup qualifying, while Grenada is playing friendlies. The games scheduled are:

Rwanda vs Benin; Friday, October 10 at noon ET

South Africa vs Rwanda; Tuesday, October 14 at noon ET

Benin and South Africa are at the top of the AFCON Group C table. Rwanda probably needs to win both games to move forward in qualifying for the World Cup

Grenada vs British Virgin Islands; Wednesday, October 6 at 6:00 ET

Grenada vs Cuba; Saturday, October 11 at 7:30 ET

Image credit: North Carolina FC

Birmingham Legion put together a gritty performance on the road last week, earning a 0-0 draw against San Antonio FC. Legion went into a tough environment and took the fight to the home team in a very physical match. The most noteworthy change was Stephen Turnbull getting a start at center back for the first time, a move that's being widely viewed as a preview/test for next season. Another way to look at that is that the club has probably come to accept what some hard-core fans haven't: Legion isn't going to make the playoffs. They're not mathematically eliminated, but odds are that they will be within the next four days.

Birmingham has a home game tonight against North Carolina, and then hits the road for a date with Loudon United on Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 ET. Both opponents are in the top four in the East, and trying to fend off Harford, who has a ton of momentum. Legion are 9 points below the playoff line, with four games remaining. A Birmingham miracle requires that they win out, while the four teams that are in their way collapse. So, not going to happen.

Legion's last win (out of only four this season in league play) was in July against North Carolina. Birmingham is playing for pride, and North Carolina is trying to hold on for a home field position. With nothing to lose, it's the kind of game that Birmingham just might win.

The weekend game against Loudon will be Birmingham's third in eight days, while Loudon will have been at home preparing. Loudon's form right now is not its best, after two draws in a row and a hard loss against San Antonio. They were Legion's first opponent of the season, and Loudon won that match 3-1. Even if Legion come in off of a win on Wednesday night, I think this game will put a nail in Birmingham's season.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Carolina Core

Huntsville got a big 4-1 win last week over Inter Miami 2. The score at the half was locked up at 0-0, but HCFC got on the board in the first minute of the second half and never looked back. They're currently in fourth place, but Chattanooga is just one point behind them with a game in hand (ish). That game was suspended due to weather, with 20 minutes remaining, and CFC leading 1-0 over Atlanta United 2. That's a crucial result hanging over who could get home field advantage in the playoffs (the match will finished behind closed doors on Thursday).

The final regular season game for Huntsville will be at home this week against Carolina Core, in a rare matinee game that kicks off at noon on Sunday, October 5. Carolina is the “other” independent club in NextPro (in addition to Chattanooga), in their second season. They're in a precarious position, just two points above the playoff line, and are riding a five game unbeaten streak (their best form of the season). This will be the third meeting between these teams this season. Huntsville won the most recent match in August, and the other match was a 0-0 draw (HCFC won the shootout). Both teams have a lot riding on this one, and emotions will be high. The referee is certain to be very busy.

UPSL

Last week's results

Soccer Saves Lives 3-3 FC Birmingham

Kalonji Pro-Profile 2-2 FC Columbus Elite

UMA FC II 0-1 LSA Norcross 2

Atlanta City FC vs Columbus Knight Eagles (postponed)

This week's games

FC Birmingham is off until October 19

FC Columbus Elite vs Filial Pachuca; Saturday, October 4 at 6:00 ET. Colgaelite started the season slow, but last week's draw against KPP shows they can compete with anyone. I look for them to bring some momentum into this one and take three points.

Columbus Knight Eagles vs UMA FC 2; Sunday, October 5 at 5:00 CT. CKE is the home side on paper, but both teams play their home games at the same stadium. The Eagles have gotten off to a better start to the Fall, but these teams are pretty evenly matched, and this could go either way.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

2024 set the mark for Legion's worst season, and saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in team history. That left Tom Soehn on the hot seat and a dismal preseason led to a bad start to the season, ending Soehn's tenure in Birmingham. Birmingham quickly moved to hire Mark Briggs and everyone was optimistic that things would start to turn around. Surely, it couldn't get worse: 2025 said “hold my beer”. Legion hasn't won a regular season game since July 11, and are on 22 points, just one point above dead-last Miami FC, and 8 points below the playoff line. Last year's finish with 45 points looks pretty good in comparison.

Last week, Birmingham lost 1-4 to Tampa Bay, and 1-2 to Indy Eleven. They had 1-0 leads at halftime in both games and gave up all six opposing goals in the second half. That's two crushing losses to teams that are hanging out at the bottom of the table, also under the playoff line. Next up for Legion will be three games in eight days against three teams that are all in the top four of the East and West tables.

First up will be a road game against San Antonio FC. San Antonio has had a very up-and-down season, but are in third place in the West, in a crowded race in that conference. They've had some injury issues, especially on the back line, and I expect Alex Crognale to still be unavailable due to a broken collarbone. One odd tidbit: 8 of their 24 games have seen red cards issued. With tensions high for both teams (SA is only 5 points above the cutoff line for the playoffs), it might be more of a surprise if there isn't a red card handed out. If there's any hope for Legion, it's that they've tended to step up against top teams, especially from the West. A draw would be functionally useless, but maybe they have enough players back healthy to pull off the upset.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City FC

Huntsville has been a streaky team this season, and last weekend they ended a four-game losing streak with a crucial 1-0 win on the road in Orlando. The win popped them back up to fourth place in the table and locked in the first playoff appearance in the team's history. Now they'll look to finish strong and try to earn a first round home game.

Huntsville has two regular season games left, both at home, starting with a game against Inter Miami 2 this Sunday, September 28 at 7:00 CT. This will be the third meeting between these two teams this season. Huntsville won the first match 4-0 and the second game saw regular time end in a 2-2 draw (HV won the shootout). Huntsville has allowed the fewest goals of any team in NextPro (31), while Miami has allowed the second most (63 !). Expect Huntsville to stay focused and get three more points.

UPSL

Last week's results

FC Birmingham 2-2 Dalton United

FC Atlanta 4-2 UMA FC II

Columbus Knight Eagles 0-5 Augusta Arsenal

This week's games

Soccer Saves Lives vs FC Birmingham; Sunday, September 28 at 5:00 ET. SSL should be favored at home in this one, although their early results have been mixed. FCB is certainly capable of stealing some points here on the road.

FC Columbus Elite is off again

Atlanta City FC vs Columbus Knight Eagles; Sarurday, September 27 at 4:00 ET. Early indications are that this should be a close match. Both teams took a beating at the hands of Augusta, and both teams beat Middle Georgia.

UMA 2 vs LSA Norcross 2; Sunday, September 28 at 5:00 CT. It's tough to get a solid read on these two teams, but Norcross has been better on defense so far, and I would give them the edge based on that.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion

Birmingham had a bye last week, and hopefully they'll be rested up as they head into action this week. Their chance to make the playoffs is rapidly disappearing. They have two games this week, against fellow bottom-dwellers in the table.

First up is a mid-day special, focused on an education day for local schools to attend. They'll be up against the Tampa Bay Rowdies today (Wednesday, September 17) at 11:30 AM Central, who they played to a 2-2 draw in the earlier meeting this season. Both teams are sitting on 22 points, and are desperately trying to scratch and claw their way above the playoff line. The stakes are high, and this is already a heated rivalry, so the referee is likely to get a workout. Both teams have gone through coaching changes this season, although Tampa Bay's new coach has been in place for less time. Neither team is in great form, or they wouldn't be at the bottom of the table, and another draw won't be good news for either of them. Legion should have a pretty full roster available, and will need to balance substitutions in the heat (the “feels like” temp will be around 95 degrees).

Birmingham's second game will be on the road against Indy Eleven on Sunday, September 21 at 4:00 central. This is their third meeting this season; Indy won the first, and they played to a draw in the Jagermeister Cup (Indy won the shootout). If Legion beats Tampa, they'll come into this game trailing Indy by one point. Indy's problem this year has been swings of inconsistency. They'll also be without Elvis Amoh, who got a red card last week against in a 0-1 loss to Rhode Island. Indy has lost three of their last four games, but also beat a red-hot Harford 2-0 during that same run. If Legion can keep Romario Williams bottled up, they've got a good chance to get the three points.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City FC

Huntsville has been streaky all season, and last week's 2-3 loss to first place Red Bulls 2 was their fourth loss in a row. With three games left in the regular season, the Boys in Blue need some points to stop the slide. They're in sixth place in the East, 7 points ahead of the seventh and eighth place teams.

Huntsville will be on the road this week against Orlando City 2, before coming back home for their final two games. This is the third meeting for these teams this season, with the home sides winning each time previously. A win would secure a spot in the playoffs for HCFC for the first time, and the pressure will be on to make that happen.

UPSL

Last week's results

FC Birmingham 1-7 Potros

Georgia Revolution 3-1 FC Columbus Elite

UMA FC II 3-3 Angelus

Middle Georgia United 0-6 Columbus Knight Eagles

This week's games

FC Birmingham vs Dalton United; Sunday, September 21 at 4:30 CT. Dalton has historically been a powerhouse, but didn't have a great Spring season. Their first game of Fall was a hard loss to Potros, indicating that this game might be more even than would be expected.

FC Columbus Elite is off this week.

FC Atlanta vs UMA 2; Saturday, September 20 at 7:30 ET. Early indications are that UMA would be favored here, after the 3-3 draw against Angelus.

Columbus Knight Eagles vs Augusta Arsenal Soccer Team; Sunday, September 21 at 5:00 CT. Both of these teams won their matches last week by a score of 6-0. Expect this to be high-scoring, and the winner could have the inside track for the Fall season. I give the Eagles the advantage at home.

Image credit; Birmingham Legion; Jake Rufe had a huge game

Legion got a hard-fought point in a 1-1 draw with Tulsa last week. As a yes or no question, the draw helped Birmingham in the standings, as the teams around them failed to get points. But they need to be getting wins instead of draws. The two big storylines of the game were the referee, and Jake Rufe. The referee was inconsistent with his calls throughout the game, and the big hit came from a penalty that was given at the end of the first half for a handball in the box by Birmingham. It was arguably the correct call, but the way it was handled bordered on debacle. The penalty gave Tulsa a 1-0 lead at the half.

The other storyline was Legion's Jake Rufe. Jake has been a soild performer throughout the season, but had disappeared from the starting lineup a month ago for no apparent reason. He got the start against Tulsa by necessity (two other CB's were called up for international duty), and he made the most of the opportunity. He put in a great shift on defense, and then scored the equalizer for Legion late in the game off of header from a set piece. His performance earned him Team of the Week honors from the league. The final score ended 1-1.

Birmingham is idle this week, and will be back in action next Wednesday for a daytime game against Tampa Bay.

Huntsville City FC

Monday's match against New England Revolution 2 saw Huntsville lose 0-1, thier third loss in a row. They've been shuffled down to fourth place in the table, and while they look safe to make the playoffs, the recent slide could see them miss out on a hosting position. They have four regular season games remaining, with three of those at home.

The task this week doesn't get any easier. New York Red Bulls 2 will come to town for a game on Saturday, September 13 at 7:00 CT. HCFC won the first meeting this season 2-1 on July 6. The Red Bulls are in first place in the East, but they're a bit of a mess. They've scored a league-high 61 goals, but have also given up a whopping 50 goals in 24 games. Huntsville will need their defense (28 goals allowed this season) to step up and slow RBNY down to get momentum headed back in the right direction leading into the playoffs.

UPSL

Image credit: FC Birmingham

Last week's results

Scenic City SC 2-2 FC Birmingham

Georgia Athletic SC 5-0 FC Columbus Elite

This week's games

Division 1 starts this week, and we'll have two teams in the division (in addition to the Premier teams) to cover for the Fall season: UMA FC 2 (the first team is not competing for the Fall), and Columbus Knight Eagles.

FC Birmingham vs Potros: Sunday, Sept 14 at 3:30 CT. Potros comes in after a dominant 4-1 win in week 1 over North Georgia United. FC Birmingham will need to step up to the challenge, and try to steal some points.

FC Columbus Elite vs Georgia Revolution: Saturday, Sept 13 at 6:00 ET. The Revs had a bye in week 1, but are always a strong opponent. Elite will be looking for a better performance, and are capable of an upset.

Middle Georgia United vs Columbus Knight Eagles: Saturday, Sept 13 at 6:00 ET. The Eagles started the Spring season strong, but faded towards the end. They'll be looking for three points on the road to kick start the Fall.

UMA FC 2 vs Angelus: Sunday, Sept 14 at 6:00 ET. UMA fielded two teams in the Spring, and the first team made a run to the playoffs. The club has since merged with Fountain City, but taken a break at the Premier level for Fall. This first match will be a strong indicator to see if players from the merge and/or first team will be mixed on the Division 1 squad. If so, look for them to come out strong against Angelus, who is in their first UPSL season.

Image credit: Birmingham Legion; Jake Rufe

Last weekend's game was a 4-4 draw on the road against Orange County. Birmingham scored first, three minutes after the game started, for their first lead of the night. Unfortunately, they couldn't build on that lead. The score went back and forth; Legion would get a lead, and then Orange County would equalize. The halftime score was 2-2, and then four more goals were scored in the first 21 minutes of the second half, including an insane own goal from distance by Orange County. Of the two teams, Orange County would be able to walk away with more positives. Birmingham came away knowing that they blew an opportunity to collect three points that they desperately needed. Three Legion players received team of the week honors, including Amir Daley and Sebastian Tregarthen, who took turns scoring and assisting each other on those goals. It was an entertaining match, but the Birmingham defense was a mess.

This week's road game against Tulsa is going to be especially difficult. The Legion defense has been particularly leaky in recent games, and the roster will be thinned out due to Phanuel Kavita (Rwanda) and Ramiz Hamouda (USYNT U17) being called up for International duties. Tulsa is cruising to the playoffs, sitting in first place in the West, 8 points clear of second place. They're coming in off of a 0-2 loss to Colorado Springs, which ended a 14-game unbeaten streak in league play. On a positive note, Legion beat Tulsa 2-1 in Jagermeister play on May 31, also on the road. They've got to find a way to stay focused on defense and keep Tulsa out of the net. Time is running out for any chance to make a move and get into the playoffs. The game is Saturday, September 6 at 7:30 CT.

There's been plenty of speculation surrounding Jake Rufe's recent lack of playing time. Jake has been very effective playing various positions, but has spent most of this season as a center back. For some reason, he's clearly fallen out of favor with Mark Briggs. Notably, he's gone from being a starter that played ninety minutes, to a sub that's used sparingly. During Legion's particularly leaky recent form, Jake has not been a party to very much of it, and his exclusion is not due to injury. I looked back and ran the numbers for the season. Birmingham's opponents score goals against Legion at a rate 30% higher per minute when Jake is not on the field compared to when he's in the game. With Kavita and Hamouda unavailable, hopefully he'll be on the field against Tulsa, where he belongs.

Huntsville City FC

Image credit: Huntsville City

Huntsville City hit another bump in the road last weekend, losing 0-2 to Atlanta United 2. It was their second loss in a row, after a six game unbeaten run that preceded that. The loss has them in third place in the East, and they'll need to guard against sliding down the table. The standings are tight, and the wrong combination of just a few results could see them quickly shuffled back to sixth place.

The first hurdle to avoid the shuffle will come immediately, as HCFC will be on the road against NE Revolution 2 Monday, September 8 at 6:00 CT. The Revs are just one point behind Huntsville, in fifth place. They've lost twice in their last ten games, with a couple of draws in the mix. They typically play light on possession, but more even at times, so they can mix styles to frustrate opponents. Huntsville will need to press the issue on that, and play their game. Christian Koffi hasn't seen the field in three games, and he's been missed.

UPSL

The UPSL Premier season kicks off this weekend, and includes two teams that I'll cover for the Fall season.

FC Birmingham had a tough Spring, and appeared to be set for relegation. With realignment, they've stayed up in Premier, and will be competing in Georgia Zone 2. First up will be a trip to Chattanooga to face the Scenic City Soccer Club on Saturday, September 6 at 7:00 ET. FCB is looking to rebuild, and this will be a tough early test.

FC Columbus Elite will be competing in Georgia Zone 1, and they'll be on the road against Georgia Athletic Soccer Club on Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 ET. Spring was Elite's first season in Premier after being promoted from Division 1. They started slow, and got better as the season went along, but still finished in the bottom half of the table. Athletic was a mid table team, but was one of the teams that ran into Elite when they were in their best form in the Spring, with Elite winning 2-0. With Fountain City/UMA not competing in the Fall, it will be interesting to see if Elite picks up some key players.